TORY OF THE l^t^ ISH URCH MISSIONS ^}mmic m ..Ah: m ^mm:. IMI ;gv ^^ §^ i^ t %> O r^ rH o Xi w * •H « M *^ r- ^ VOCD Q) 00 TJ ^ rHC ■P < CO •1 rJ'X m 1 rod) O 1 QrH •< >- i ^ 1 o ^ • o -^ 00 w (0 1 ^ 1 PQQ E-« ;■'..■'• ''i- ''>''; f THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS. PART I. AX ACCOUNT OF THE PROYIDENTIAL PREPARATION WHICH LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR IRISH CHTRCH JIISSIONS TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS IN 1849. BY THE REV. ALEX. DALLAS, M.A., RECTOR OF ■WOXSTON, HANTS, AND HOlfORART SECRETARY TO THE SOCIETX. "The very hairs of yotir head are all numbered." — Matt. x. 30. " Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, Hke a man's hand And there was a gi-eat rain." — 1 Kings xviii. 44, 45. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR €l}t ^ocirtg far Irtslj CIjtircT) iHi^s*t0it^, 11, BUCKINGHAM STREET. ADELPHI ; AND SOLD BY MESSRS. HATCHARD AND CO., PICCADILLY ; NISBET AND CO., BERNERS STREET ; SEELEY AND CO., FLEET STREET ; AND MACINTOSH, PATERNOSTER ROW. ^.' HARRIUD, Pt^WfR LONDON. PEEFAOE. In giving a history of tlie Society for Irish. Church Missions to the Eoman Catholics_, in order that a correct impression should be conveyed_, it was absolutely necessary to ex- plain in detail the very first links in the chain of events which led to its formation. This will account for the authorship having de- volved on me^ as none other was intimately acquainted with the minute circumstances of the preparatory steps. This also will serve as an apology for the personal character of the narrative. The Chapters have been published peri- odically in the ^^ Banner of the Truth;" but IV PREFACE. it lias been felt that tlie interval between tlie publications breaks the current of interest in the whole. The account of what may be considered the Providential preparation for the organized development of the movement occupies fifteen chapters^ twelve of which are found in the pages of the ^'' Banner .^^ They are now published together^ as the first part of the history of the Society. The events recorded in this Volume are sufficient to prove that the preparation in the minds of the Roman Catholics of Ireland for receiving Scriptural instruction existed before the famine of 1847. That calamitous event did not produce the desire to receive the teaching of truth from Protestant sources^, though it tended to remove many prejudices^ and so to increase the feeling which already existed. The records in these pages will also show, that in spite of the prejudices and fanaticism of some, the Roman Catholics of Ireland can be approached with the teaching of the true gospel in distinct antagonism to the rehgious notions in which they have been PEEFACE. iiurtured_, without provoking tliat measure of violence and danger wliicli some have feared. Honesty of purpose kindly shown, combined with patient endurance of opposition in good temper_, will ensure such a hearing as gives encouraging hope of some success, which, by the blessing of God, is always realized. This is abundantly proved in the following narra- tive j and when the second part shall appear,. detailing the operations of the Society which was formed in consequence of these events,^ an immense amount of additional proof will be shown. It is greatly to be regretted that, with all this evidence, the means for carrying on the- work placed at the disposal of the Committee should be so inadequate to the requirements of the case. Of all the attempts made to pacify Ireland and benefit the Irish people, none have been crowned with such success as have the eflForts of the Irish Church Missions ; and if ten times the amount at present employed were contributed by Protestant Christians for this work, the results already VI PEEFACE. obtained justify the expectation that the bless- ing of God would accompany the offerings and Ireland would become characteristically Chris- tian and Protestant. Novenibery 1867. CONTENTS. ^ ' PAGE CHAPTER I.— Inteodttctoey 1 CHAPTEE II : 6 CHAPTEE III 15 CHAPTEE lY 24 CHAPTEE V , 35 CHAPTEE VI 45 CHAPTEE VII 60 CHAPTEE VIII 74 CHAPTEE IX 87 CHAPTEE X 102 CHAPTEE XI 121 CHAPTEE XII : 137 CHAPTEE XIII 151 CHAPTEE XIV : 166 CHAPTEE XV 176 VIU CONTENTS. APPENDIX. PAGE I. — A Voice feom Heaven to Ieeland 197 II. — A Look out of Ieeland into Germany 203 III. — Ieishmen's Eights 215 IV.— The Food op Man 223 V. — Constitution op the Society 228 THE Storij of i\t Irislj Cjjurclj Hlbsians TO THE EOMAX CATHOLICS. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. Ireland is said to be England's difficulty. In a political point of view this lias become a proverb. Tliere is another phase of the matter, in which men's souls are considered before their social condition. In this aspect '^^ danger-" might be substituted for "diffi- culty" in the proverb ; and the words '^ chas- tisement'-' and '^''remembrancer" might be added to awaken in the mind a sense of the "dano-er,-" Ireland is England's chastisement. England has made an unrestful bed for herself, and she must lie upon it. If she is scourged, she furnished the rod herself. In the twelfth 2 THE STORY OF THE lEISII CHURCH MISSIONS century Eomisli England planted Popery in Ireland. The upas tree Tvas an exotic un- known in tlie country ; tlie soil was prepared by treacliery ; and the instrument of the actual transplanting was the sword. Upon the coin- cidencCj solitary in all history^ when an English pope could conspire with an English kiug^ this baneful act was accomplished, and so Ireland became popish. When, in the sixteenth cen- tury the dark cloud of Romanism v/as rolled oil the shores of England, by that '^wind^' that ^^ bloweth where it listeth," no prayerful pains were taken to carry on its course over the sister island ; to " say to the v/ind. Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." Laws vf ere made to anglicise the Irish, instead of efforts to Christianize them. The royal supre- macy of the King of England was established, and not the supremacy of the Majesty on high. The means employed consisted of Acts of Parliament, and not the Book of God. These sins of England have been fruitful in con- stantly-recurring chastisement — fruits that (C are full of danger to the sinful nation. sure your sin will find you out.''^ Ireland is England^s remembrancer. How is it that the British power has become what TO THE KOMAN CATHOLICS. 6 it is ? A vast variety of means have concurred, during a long series of years, providentially combining to constitute an empire unpara-lleled in history, overpassing the old Eoman world. It seems as though a morsel of earth had been broken off from the rest of the world, and floated out into the ocean as a special spot on which to plant that which is as the tree of life, the leaves of which are for the present the healing of the nations — the Holy Scriptures. Secured b}^ insular position, it pleased God by His grace, to nurture the growth of this pre- cious plant in Britain, and then to extend the empne to reach the euds of the earth, so that British influence finds its way into the midst of all nations. Surely its mission is to scatter the seeds of the life-giving truth in its world- wide path, and to convey this bread-fruit wherever it carries its merchandize. Is Britain fulfilling its mission ? Alas ! uo. And God has ordered that a sort of practising- field,, having the most pressing call for scriptural influence, should be placed within a stone^s cast of the privileged garden of this tree of life; a community, itself a part of England\s empire, so bound to Britain that both must feel to- gether in weal and in woe. On this practis- ing-ground England^s mission of mercy should 4 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS be seen, plainly and powerfully carried out. For many a long year, England^s liigh duty, the condition of lier greatness, has been nationally neglected everywhere — in Ireland as in India ; but Ireland lies as it were in her bosom, to be a thorn in her side, painfully reminding her of this neglected duty — a diffi- culty — a danger — a chastisemiCnt — a remem- brancer, that if she did but rise to her duty and take care that, with the wise acts of Parliament, the people should have the wiser word of God — for ^' the foolishness of God is wiser than men ^^— Ireland would be a help instead of a hindrance to England. That which the nation at large will not acknowledge to be a duty, and which does ngt enter into the national policy, the faithful few, the little flock, those who recognize God^s hand in the rise and fall of nations, attempt to effect by the combination of their w^eak efforts, trusting to the blessing and power of Him with whom ^^ it is nothing to conquer, whether with many or with them that have no power." God has condescended to accept such efforts, and to honour them by employing them for the accomplishment of results which nothing but Divine power could efi'ect with such an in- strumentality. Ireland has been the scene of TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. h tliese marvels of disproportion between the means and tlie results ; and it would appear to be for tlie glory of God that the course of events by which His Providence worked with His grace in the process should be laid open before the Church of Christ. One who has been honoured by being permitted to work in the matter from an early date,, has been urged to write the story. On long and full consi- deration it seems plain^ that the most marked interventions of the finger of God are to be observed in many of the minuter events that formed the history : and these can only be fairly detailed in a personal narrative, from which there has hitherto been a shrinking. But advancing age deadens the sensitiveness which shrinks from personal revelations. Time is rapidly passing; the story must be told now, or may never be needed ; and therefore, with the blessing of God, the St ory of the Irish Church Missions shall be made pubhc, although it involves the necessity for a per- sonal narrative. G THE STORY OF TEE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS CHAPTER II. In order that a just judgment may be formed of any movement amongst a people, tliere must be some knowledge of their previous condition. This alone can prepare the mind to nmler stand the necessity for the movement,, and the exciting causes which produced it ; or to judge rightly of the means by which it has been originated and carried on. This prepara- tion is especially required for Englishmen with respect to Ireland. It is not too much to say that there is more correct knowledge of our distant dependencies than of Ireland diffused amongst the people of England. Almost every Englishman acquires, somehow or other, a no- tion' of an Irishman, in which, the prominent features are caricatured, and the redeeming qualities are merged; and this incorrect image has to be erased from the mind before a true photograph can be impressed there. A careful TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. / examination into the Story of tlie Irisli Churcli Missions would mucli assist in tlie process of such an alteration in the minds of Englishmen; but to do this there should be the preparation of an adequate knowledge of the former state of things in Ireland. What seems to be wanting is a> reply to these three questions — 1. Was there a necessity for the work of the Irish Church Missions? 2. Has there been a suitability in the instrumentality? 3. How was the instrumentality produced and applied? After much consideration_, it appears to be the best course to take these questions in the reverse order_, and show — 1. How the instru- mentality was produced and applied. This will go some way towards enabling the reader to judge of — 2. Its suitability; and will bring out very distinctly — 3. The necessity for the work of the Irish Church Missions. It is the conviction that this course will be the simplest and the shortest way of conveying a coiTCct view of the missionary movement towards the Roman Catholics in Ireland, that has required the adoption of a personal narrative, as the best mode of telling the Story of the Irish Church Missions. To that personal narrative I now ask the attention of the reader. 8 THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHUECH MISSIONS Men measure results by the means wliicli produced tliem. These may be considered as inadequate^ but still some kind of relative proportion is sought for to justify the result. It is not so with God. He veils the appear- ance of directly miraculous interference by the employment of some instrumentality, but He magnifies his o\yn ^^ow-i' and retains his own honour by making use of the most insignifi- cant means in accomplishing vast results. " The very hairs of your head are all num- bered. ^^ — numbered for use by the Divine hand. The metaphor is supplied, not by the muscles and powerful limbs of our body, but the weakest fibre that it bears. This precious word unfolds the history of many a marvellous work through weak agency. I gathered in my early years those English notions of Ireland to Avhicli I have already alluded. A familiar friend of my father was an officer who had served in the rebellion in 1 798, and as a boy I drank in from him all the horrors of Vinegar Hill, and Scullabogue, and Wexford Bridge. I never for a moment thought of going to Ireland. In the early years of my ministry I actively and earnestly advocated the cause of the Church Missionary Society, and especially the promoting of TO THE KOMAN CATHOLICS. \} Christianity amongst tlie Jews. I often went on deputation for these Societies. In the year 1840 I was at Bath for the Jews^ Society. My colleague in this deputation was the Eev. Anthony Thomas^ w^ho was the secretary of the Irish branch of that Society. The meeting at Bath was a very interesting one_, enlivened by a little discussion^ in which I took part. Mr. Thomas was attracted by this^ and pressed me to undertake to represent the Society at the annual meeting in Dublin^ which was to take place in a few days. I peremptorily refused. We were nearly a week together in Bath_, and Mr. Thomas pursued me with an untiring per- sistency which more than wearied me_, and did not win me. I never had a waveriug feeling* on the 23oint. I left Bath^ and travelled on the outside of the coach of those days^ which was full of passengers. Only one place re- mained vacant^ as we sat only three behind the coachman. We changed horses at Melks- ham^ and were already in motion, when a por- ter stopped us with the bag of a gentleman, who soon followed him and occupied the va- cant seat next to me. This was Mr. Thomas. I remember his first words, " This is surely providential.''^ He continued his appeals to me during the journey to Marlborough, a single ] THE STOEY OF THE IPwISH CHUECH MISSIONS stage, the only distance lie liad to travel, and as lie left the coacli tliero lie extorted my consent. I relate tliese particulars because they form tlic centre point of a cluster of lines that have opened to a vast extent in the circumference, which includes the Story of the Irish Church Missions. I don^t remember ever to have had a more settled determination than that which produced my refusal at Bath, and I was sur- prised at myself when I had allowed Mr. Thomas to carry away my consent at Marl- borough. There were no electric telegraphs in those days, or I might have at once retracted my promise ; but it was ordered in Providence that I should go ; and I have often felt thank- ful that these " numbered hairs^^ satisfy myself, that it was not my own will but God^s will that took me to Ireland. In the ensuing April I arrived in Dublin in the week of the meetings. The Tuesday in that v/eek is the day on which the anniversary of the Jews' Society is held. After a speech wliich conveyed many statistics, interesting when read but which failed to keep alive the interest of an Irish audience, my turn came to speak ; and, profiting by what I observed in the previous half hour, I called my hearers TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 11 into tlie region of prophecy, and drew a picture of tlie JewisL. prospects, wlien '^^the remnant accordiDg to tlie election of grace/^ shall have been converted_, and the effusion of the Spirit shall descend upon '"''all Israel/' My speech was received with enthusiasm by the people and acceptance by the platform, where I found that I wanted no further intro- duction to be received into brotherly inter- course by the warm-hearted clergymen that filled it. At the clerical meetings which occupy the mornings of the ^'' April week'' in Dublin, I met upwards of two hundred of the clergy (the number has since reached five hundred). These meetings were very striking, and alto- gether new to me. I was called on to speak, and received an attentive hearing. In fact, I seemed to have been carried on the top of the wave far over the shore, into the heart of Ire- land. I have no false modesty in saying this, because it was too rapid a feeling to be excited by an estimate of merit, for which there was no time : and because I feel it to have been a part of the preparation, designed in Providence for the work God purposed to do afterwards. While this providential preparation was thus made in the kindly feelings of Irish cler- 12 THE STORY OF THE IfilSH CHUECII MISSIOXS gymen and friends, it was completed by tlio revolution which was produced in my feelings about Irishmen and Ireland. I was brought to Dublin at a time when there was a gather- ing of what may be called the cream of a large class of the clergy, and I gained in a week the experience of Irish heart that could hardly have been obtained in a year's detail of inter- course all over the country. I had a bird's-eye view of Ireland with the sun shining on it,, having passed through the lower clouds of prejudice as in a balloon. I saw how much there is to be valued — how many compensating- features in favour mingled with those that mkj be unfavourable iu the Irish character. In short, I found myself suddenly placed in an entirely new position, with new afiections called forth, awakening a lively interest in a people amongst whom I found a warmth of kindness readily responding to my new feelings. For four or five years I cultivated this friendly feeling by frequent intercourse. I gladly undertook the deputation of the two Societies I have named, from time to time, into many of the principal towns and districts of Ireland. I attended the April meetings regularly; and while I received a general TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 13 kindness from almost all whom I met^ I con- tracted intimate friendship with many of the excellent Christian men who adorned the Irish branch of the United Church. Amongst those vrho have passed into the presence of our Lord I may mention especially Denis Browne, Dean of Emly ; Horace Newman, Dean of Cork ; Arthur Wynne, Arthur Guinness, and others, whose praise is in all the churches. In the early days of my intercourse with the Irish clergy these were as nursing fathers and brothers to me. It was not until the year 1843 that my attention was especially drawn to the state of the Eoman Catholic population. It seemed as though the previous years were required to enable me to take root, as it were, in the character of Ireland, before I was called to the task of acting upon it for the glory of God in the conversion of Romanists. I had had much experience of Eomanism in continental coun- tries, and had carried on a kind of mission amongst Eomanists when I resided in France. This was one part of the necessary preparation for the work of Irish Church Missions. It was necessary that a knowledge of Irish character should be combined with this ; and having now obtained such a knowledge, my mind and 1-i THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS lieart were aroused to observe tlie condition of tlie Romanists of the country to which my affections were newly drawn. Here began the events which gave birth to the Society for Irish Church Missions^ and with this I will begin the next chapter. TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. CHAPTER III. It has often been a matter of surprise in tlie retrospect that I should have been interested in Ireland for so long a period without having my attention drawn to the condition of the Roman Catholics. Having for many years mingled with the Romanists_, and seen prac- tical Romanism by the candle-light of the v/orldj and afterwards looked upon it in the broad sunlight of the Gospel^ it would have been natural that Rome in Ireland would have been the prominent point that struck me in the prospect. When I carried on a little mission to Romanists in France^ I had been painfully sent to school to learn Roman doctrines and difficulties by an early discomfiture of my untaught zeal in earnest controversy with a priest of high talent. Yet^ during all the time included in the second chapter _, the case of the Romanists had hardly crossed my mind. One IG THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS of tliG addresses I delivered to tlie assembled clergy in Dublin was publislied as a tract, under the title of " Realizing^ the strength of an effectual Ministry/^ It would seem strange that the application of such a subject on such an occasion in that place could have been made without reference to the most real of the difficulties of an Irish ministry of the Gospel. Yet the address did not touch on the point. I trace in this unnatural restraint another token of the purpose of God as developed in the Vv'ork He has given me to do. It was needful that the affection for Ireland to be planted in my hearty and the kindness towards me to be planted in the hearts of Irishmen^ should take root with sufficient grasp to bear the shock of the storm to be raised by the course of contro- versial aggression which was the object in the dealings of Providence. An earlier observation of the real state of things would have led to an earlier entry on that course ; and the position and the acceptance of the innovator would not have ripened so far as to fit him for the work. The first dawn Avhicli I can recall to mind of an awakened sense of the condition of the Romanists in Ireland^ is connected with an incident of encouragement in the ministry which I will relate. TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. j / There are usually meetings of clergy in Cork after the Dublin April meetings. One year I attended tliese_, and remained during the following week to deliver a course of lec- tures on the Second Advent_, in the church of my excellent friend the Rev. T. Finny. Within a fortnight I delivered twenty-one different addresses in Cork ; and being completely exhausted after the last Sunday's work^ I escaped from a host of friends_, and retired in- cognito to refresh my spirit as well as my body amidst the mountains and the waters of lovely Killarney. I was quite alone, and allowed my thoughts to float away from all the subjects wdiicli had occupied them. I had no books^ and should hardly have used them if they had been at hand; but in wandering amidst the charmed spots of beauty that abound there, a number of living books constantly crossed my path, and I could not but read on each human page the black story of deceit and death written there by Rome. Free from the excite- ment of any direct object for present active duty, these living epistles of error suggested a crowd of thoughts which were like clouds in the sky of ni}^ mind, obscuring the sunshine of the rest I was enjoying, and taking all sorts of shapes as they passed slow^ly across it. 18 THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS The week passed, and Sunday came! I went to cliurclij and fearing to break my quiet seclusion by meeting some wlio might know me, I took a seat by the door. The sermon pained me. It was a great mistake from the text, '^ If you would enter into life, keep the commandments.^' I longed to get into the pulpit and rectify the mistake. I had gone into the church hoping that nobody would recog- nize me, I left it breathing an earnest wish that somebody would meet me that could place me in the pulpit for the second service. Out- side the door I found a gentleman and his daughter, who accosted me, guessing who I was — friends in Cork had bid them expect me to preach at Killarney. They said that several persons had come with that expectation. By a little management, I was introduced and permitted to preach in the eveniug. I laid open the Lord^s way of enabling a sinner '^ to enter into life,^' and offered the only means of salvation through faich in Christ Jesus. On the following morning I left Killarney. There were no railways then. I got od the outside of the coach on a fine May morning. As it was an early start, I had not had time for my morning's reading', and took out my Bible. A respectable woman was sitting next TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 19 to me. At our first stop slio sald^ ^'' That's a good book you have, sir.'' ^' The best book/' I rephed. '' I think_, sir, you are the minister who preached last evening at Killarney church." " I am." And this led to a long conversation. She was a Protestant, and evi- dently one who felt the value of saving truth. She was a widow, and had a daughter married to a tradesman in Killarney — nominally a Pro- testant. They had entirely neglected religion, and by the force of circumstances around them, they were being drawn into Romanism. The mother had been very unhappy about her daughter, and had taken the journey from Dublin on purpose to strive to divert them from their intention. She had urged, and prayed, and struggled for a fortnight, all appa- rently to no purpose. She had entreated them to go with her to church before she left. They had refjsed in the morning, but softening under the feeling of parting from the mother, and saying openly that once going to church would not be any consequence, they consented to go in the evening. '' Sir," said the poor widow, ^' I took their consent for what it was worth — just a kind- ness to me, and thought much as they did, that it was little I could hope for from that, as 20 TEE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS respects tlie clianging of tlieir purpose. But I prayed_, sir^ with my souFs lieart for tlie poor creatures_, tliat God would stop them from being Roman Cathohcs, and save their souls. When the prayers were over^ a strange gentle- man began to preach. It was the gospel — the very truth of Christ — sir. I could have cried out in the churchy but I was silent, only my heart was praying all the while. My Mary, sir, was crying, but she hid it. We got home, and from that very moment — supper-time and all — w^e talked, and talked, and they would not leave off and go to bed till past one o^ clock, and then only because I was starting so early in the morning. And, sir, praised be God, they said they never had heard what they heard in that sermon ; and, sir, they say they won^t p'o to Mass.^^ I have related this as nearly as possible in her own words, which were deeply impressed on my memory, and I have related the inci- dent because it gave the first perceptible im- pulse to that earnest spirit of inquiry into the condition of the mind of the Etonian Catholics which brouofht out the stronp" conviction of their readiness to receive gospel teaching. And such an incident w^ill be enouoh to excuse the omission of much detail in explaining how TO THE EOMAX CATHOLICS. 21 tlie conviction grew, for wliicli tliere would be no time or space in this Story of the Irish Church Missions. In looking back on the broad and deep stream of thought which soon after overflowed my whole mind for a time^ I cannot- discover its source in any perceptible beginning earlier than this. To trace it further I must look up to heaven. I ruminated on the Killarney in- cident all the journey home. The next time I visited Ireland^ my keenest observation was directed to the Romanists. I have already said that I had acquired much experience in dealing with them in foreign countries^ and I brought many practical remembrances to bear upon my new study in Ireland. I never shall forget a scene in Normandy. I was talking about Christ to a cottage full of peasants^ and opening the gospel from the Scriptures^ when a man cried out, " Have the goodness to read the second commandme^at out of the Bible." This had no special connection with what I was then teaching_, but I turned at once to the twentieth chapter of Exodus, and read aloud, " Yous ne vous ferez point d^image taillee/'' etc. The eflPect was electrical. The people had listened before, but now they were moved. '' Could that be the word of God V '' Was it 22 THE STOr.Y OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS a real Bible ?" '^ Impossible tbat the priests could know tkat to be God^s commandment/' '' The Chm-ch was full of graven images, and everybody was taught to bow down to them/' From that time there was life in my little con- gregation. Opposition and warm words from some, anxious inquiries from others. In a few months a little living church w^as gathered from the neighbourhood, a portion of Christ's little flock who continued steadfast in the faith. It led to an earnest controversy with the priest, and I was sent for by the sous-jjvefet to be dissuaded from "this folly," as he called it. But the work of the Lord prospered, and souls were brought out of darkness into the light of truth. Thus I had learned a practical lesson which I applied in my intercourse with Irish Roman- ists. While speaking of religion, I put some such test as that which had electrified my French Bomish congregation — Did they know the second commandment as God Himself had spoken it — "Thou shalt not make to thyself an}^ graven image," nor "bow down to it" ? Some pointed question, strongly and sharply mak- ing Scripture doctrine expose Bomish dogma. This plan brought out character in a striking manner. It gave me frequent opportunities TO THE ]iOMAN CATHOLICS. LiO of perceiving the strange mixture of anxious desire for knowledge witli tlie proud notion of possessing it — of rebellious doubt of the priests with cowardly crouching under their power. It would be impossible to give any defined account of the steps by which my thoughts were consolidated into a conviction^ that there was a preparation on the minds of many Romanists in Ireland to give attention to the teaching of truth, if only efforts were made by Christian men to meet Rome upon the ground of her errors, while at the same time the gospel of Christ was exhibited in its truth. This led me to consider what steps I ought to take, in order that advantage might be taken of the state of mind I perceived to exist, and that the means I proposed might be brought into operation. My intimacy with so many eminent and excellent men amongst the clergy led me of course to take counsel with them on this important matter. This shall be the sub- ject of the next chapter. TEIE STORY OF THE IRISH CnURCII MISSIONS CHAPTEE lY. The last paragraph of the preceding chapter ii-ave the result of the observations made in the course of many months. I promised that the present chapter should refer to my inter- course with many eminent and excellent clergy- men on taking counsel with them on the sub- ject of those observations. The sketch of this intercourse must condense the conversations which were spread over the same period^ carried on from time to time_, the details of which might swell into a volume. Never shall I forget the surprise and disap- pointment I felt when I found, that those from whom I expected approbation and en- couragement in the course I proposed, met my suggestions with disapprobation and rejec- tion. They gilded this pill with much praise for zeal and godly earnestness, etc. This glittering outside scarcely covered the bitter TO THE r.OMAX CATHOLICS. 25 ^' but ^Mvliicli was meant for medicine^ wMlc it turned all my strongholds into castles in the air. Each of my kind clerical friends had two very decided reasons why my observations could not tend to any good results. First, I was entirely ignorant of the Irish character_, and could not therefore estimate the effect which m}' notions would produce if they were acted upon. How could I, as an Englishman so lately acquainted with Ireland;, suppose that I could form a judgment in such matters ? Then, secondly, the peculiar fervour of the Irish nature, inflamed by a tyrannical priest- hood, would be sure to excite to bloodshed if any direct and open efforts to expose the errors of Romanism were attempted. In vain I pleaded my long and varied experience of human nature in Roman Catholic countries — the effects I had seen produced amongst excit- able people under similar circumstances — the influence of honest openness in subduing pre- judice — the historical evidence of the progress of Christ^s religion everywhere from the begin- ing, and especially at the Reformation in Eng- land — the duty of Christian ministers placed amongst a darkened population — and the pro- mises of God^s Word applicable to the case. I did not then gain a single convert to my 2C THE STOEY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS opinions amongst the valued clerical friends wliom I consulted^ every one of wliom, I sin- cerely believe, was a Christian man, having the glory of God and the good of souls the great object of his life. While I state these facts, I feel bound to give also the grounds which they had for their conclusions. My disappointment led me to inquire diligently and to study carefully the course of events which could have produced what seemed to me so strange a state of mind in such men as I have described. I am the more desirous of doing this as the knowledge I thus attained will be very usefal to enable the reader to judge of the real condition of things in which the Irish Church Missions was to be born, and to struggle for life until it acquired its mature position. The inquiry was, I believe, a part of the necessary preparation for the subsequent work ; and therefore that I was thus driven to it was one of the required steps — a link in the chain which God^s Provi- dence was forming. There was a traditional feeling about the violence of Romish opposition, handed down amongst Protestants from the times of the Eeformation, when such grievous mistakes were made by the government of Queen Eliza- TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 27 betli ; and wlien the wily efforts of Loyola's first agents entwined into one cord tlie poli- tical and tlie religious feelings of Irislimen, making Saxon and Protestant, tyranny and heresy, convertible terms in their vocabulary. This naturally led to strong aotagonism on the part of Protestants, and a similar combination of the terms rebel and Romanist, indicating a feeling which reproduced itself, and rendered the alienation more decided, engendering mutual hatred and terror of each other. The memorials of the massacres towards the close of the seventeenth century, and the recollections of rebellion at the end of the eighteenth, greatly fostered the fear of violence in the Protestants of the beginning of the nineteenth century. This was kept alive by the occasional outbursts of priestly power influencing the rabble upon electioneering contests, of which some egregious cases, such as that at Carlow, were prominently recorded. The tithe- war (as it has been called), which followed a few years after the Emancipation Act of 1829, and resulted in the concession by the government of a quarter of the tithe property, imbued the mind of the clergy generally with the idea, that the violence then manifested was spe- cially directed against their profession ; in 28 THE STORY OP THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS tliis they mistook tlie object of attack_, and confounded tlieir religious character with the possession of the temporalities attached to their position. With these traditional feelings, fostered by these experimental notions, it can hardly be matter of surprise, that the altar anathemas drawn forth from prominent priests upon instances of aggression should be con- sidered as tokens of systematic exercise of power, rather than the audacious threatenings of the bully. While I suggest this to account for the timi- dity of many good Christian men, it is not to be supposed that there were not constant efforts made to brine; the lio:lit of the truth to bear upon Roman darkness. Men whose praise is in all the churches of Ireland were not want- ing, who showed a concern for the spiritual deadness of their Eoman Catholic neighbours. Peter Roe in the south, Charles Seymour in the west, and Old Gideon Ouseley everywhere, stand at the head of a long list of worthies who laboured diligently for the glory of Christ amongst Romanists as well as Protestants. There are few clergymen who cannot testify that they have taken the occasions of funerals to preach the gospel at a grave, at which whole clans and factions have come to pay respect to TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. SJ tlie remains of some one of tlie old blood, Protestant tliougli he may have been, while that respect has kept them silent and uncovered. There have been besides, from time to time, seasons of temporary revival in various localities. Perhaps the most considerable was that which took place in the county of Cavan, about the year 1826, when large numbers of Romanists appeared to be impressed under the gospel teaching. Ancient prophecies were supposed to be dragged from the obscurity of oldwives^ traditions, to indicate that Romanism was to be banished from Ireland about that time ; and superstition was thus called in to aid the work of the preacher and the Scrip- ture-Reader. I believe that this, and every other awakening in which the salvation of Jesus is brought before the people, has left some tokens that his precious gospel has gathered some souls ; but as a permanent in- rluence upon any number of persons or locality, this revival has died away, and left no other trace than the few members of the little flock to whom I have referred. As my inquiries led me to discover these natural causes for the state of mind in which I. found my clerical advisers, I could not but observe that the great work I felt to be the 30 THE STORY OP THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS duty of tlie day was only tlie more necessary from all I learned, and that none of tliese causes liad any reference whatever to the course I proposed. The great error of the Elizabethan government was the postponing of all vital religion to the alteration of the supremacy from the Papal to the Royal. The hatred was built upon the political portion of the argument, and has stood upon that foun- dation ever since. The chief outbursts of violence under priestly excitement have turned upon elections or politics in some shape or other. The tithe-war was kindled and carried on for property and politics, and as a step in the great struggle in which emancipation was gained. The Christian efforts of individual ministers, and the teaching during periods of revival, have all been the simple declaration of the gospel as such, without any special refer- ence to the false teaching of Kome placed in contrast. This gospel, where put forth with earnestness and simplicity, will never be with- out some effect, for '' the word shall not return void ;" but to deal with Romanists as such it is absolutely necessary to disabuse their minds of the false notions of Christian truth which they possess, and to show Christ^s salvation contrasted with that which is not Christ^s, TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 31 tliougli tliey are tauglit to believe tliat it is. The one thouglit laid upon my heart was_, that a time was come when this contrasted truth might be put before Irish Roman Catholics plainly, simply, and openly, and that they would receive it. All my inquiries led me to see that this had never been done since the days of Usher and Bedell in anything Hke a suitable degree and manner ; and all my in- quiries therefore only settled me the more in the opinion which my clerical friends were so anxious to remove from my mind. Many honest Irish hearts will revolt from my statement, that " this had never been done,^^ because they will turn at once to the Irish Society, which holds a high place in Irish affection. I value that Society greatly; I think it was raised up of God to do a great work, specially suitable to the time when it began, but its object and o^oerations did not take it out of the category in which I have placed the other efforts to carry the gospel to the Roman Catholics. The good men who commenced it in IfcSlS were true servants of God, and for their work they deserve the thanks of Irish Christians. The thought was a happy one. The Irish language has a great charm for the Celtic population. It is to them 32 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS clotlied with romance,, and ornamented with snperstitous attractions. Its character is diffi- cult to read^ and comparatively few can do so while most of them desire the o,ttainment. The plan of the Irish Society is to employ persons who can read the Irish language to teach those who cannot. A small remuneration is given for each pupil^ and the condition imposed is that the lesson-book should be the Bible. This is an admirable device so far as it goes^ but it does not go so far as even to approach the point which I strongly felt to be the special require- ment of the time — the open exhibition of the gospel of salvation placed in such a light as that its beams should be cast directly upon the errors of Rome openly exposed. I believed that this was the one thing wanted for Ireland; and I believed that the state of the people^s minds would render such an exhibition of the gospel not only safe but successful. The clergy whom I consulted were deeply attached to the Irish Society, and I think that, though unconsciously, the strength of their objections to my proposal was derived in great measure from the secret feeling that it might take the place of their favourite scheme. There need not have been any ground for this, as I had imagined that the organization already TO THE KOMAN CATHOLICS. 33 working so well would be the best means of effecting my object; and I suggested that the Irish Society should take up a new branch of operations, expanding and enlarging its work to meet the existing state of things. To tliis_, however, objections were strongly urged. These objections were more strongly developed in the subsequent progress of events, and I will reserve any mention of them for their place in connection with those events. I did not sit down satisfied under my dis- appointment. The idea had taken root in my heart, and it luould grow. I talked to but few about it after what I heard from the clergy. But I did speak to one kind, clear-headed, and large-hearted friend, the late Arthur Gruinness. When dining with him one day in a house he then had in Rutland Square, we were convers- ing after dinner, and when I asked him whom he thought likely to give me further informa- tion on the state of the people, he said, " Nobody could help you better than Fanny Bellingham.^' ^^ Where is she V '^ Not a hun- dred yards off.^^ ^^ Will you introduce me V '^ Go and tell her I sent you."" It was a sum- mer's evening ; I rose from the table and walked to Dorset Street at once. " The hairs of your head are all num- 3 34 THE STOEY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS bered/' This was the hair on which depended great events. My acquaintance with Fanny Bellingham opened an entire change in the course of this story^ and its beginning requires a new chapter. TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 35 CHAPTER Y. That precious word, ^Hlie hairs of your head are all numbered/^ is the text of the Story of the Irish Church Missions. What a slender hair was that which led me from Rutland Square to Dorset Street? A walk of three minutes brought me into a room there_, in which I found two ladies, probably the only persons in all Ireland who could afford me the help that I needed. Miss Bellingham and her sister received me with Irish frankness and Christian kindness. My pen shrinks from giving the name publicity, but it is historical now ; the angels that ministered to her in her much usefulness in this work have finished their office, and borne the spirits of both into the presence of their Lord. The pubHcity that might be indelicate before is dutiful now — a duty to her and to her Lord, who vrorked by her instrumentality. 36 THE STOEY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS Some conversation soon brought out the sympathies on the subject that had been laid on both our hearts, and a few occasions of in- tercourse bound us together as fellow- workers. Fanny Bellingham intensely felt the love of Ireland which characterizes the people, but Divine grace had given a higher intensity to her love of Christ, and the two affections fused into one powerful impulse to save Irish souls. She was not faultless, but her very faults tended to further this impulse. Her mind had a colouring of romance, which might have marred her influence ; but there was a com- pensating power of good sense which mellowed the tint, and left only the exciting interest of heightened expectation to her thoughts and her plans. She had for years been closely connected with the principal efibrts for spiri- tual good to the Irish, and therefore possessed a fund of knowledge which through her friendship was at once transferred to me on all needful points. By this means I was better enabled both to estimate the difficulties of my adventure, and to distinguish the course to be pursued. It is essential to the riarht under- standing of the Story of the Irish Church Missions that some of these difficulties should be laid before the reader, and especially as he TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 37 will thereby perceive some important features in tlie state of tlie Irish mind at the time our first efi*orts were made. There can scarcely be said ever to have been a time without some local attempts made by individual Christians to evangelize the Eoman Catholics in Ireland. None of these however amounted to an enlarged systematic organization of general application until the year 1818, when the Irish Society was formed. In the preceding chapter I have explained the system on which the operations of that Society were arranged and conducted_, and have ex- pressed my sense of their fitness for the time and circumstances in which they commenced. There were some very attractive features in the plan. The necessary secrecy of the in- struction — the novel mode of gathering the pupils — the picturesque descriptions of the schools on bogs, behind turf stacks and walls, etc. — the exciting danger of discovery by the priest — and above all, the interest in finding a Eomanist teaching Romanists to read the truths of the gospel ; all these gave a charm to the plan which commended it to Irish Christians, so that the Irish Society was em- braced by them as the National Institution which was to evangelize Ireland. 38 THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS There were^ liowever, some serious evils underlying tins pleasant plan, whicli were not duly estimated by tlie good men who formed the Society. The Irish mind is suspicious, as well as acute. It is ever ready to draw infer- ences according to its own tendencies. Irish Eomanists have been brought up in the beHef that the Eoman creed is the only truth, that the Protestant profession is a modern and un- true religion, and that Protestants generalh' are well aware of these points. They suppose in charity that honest Protestants are ashamed of their position, and maintain it only for their temporal supremacy in Ireland. To counteract such views, a bold, above-board course was called for. Any other would be calculated to foster the feeling in which they had been educated. It would not produce that confidence in our faith which calls for respect, while it provokes discus- sion. It has been found that a misappre- hension of motive had been produced on the minds of many who were connected with the Irish Society. But again, the neces- sary secrecy of the operations, to be carried on by a class of men in whom the inbred principles of Romanism dim the perception of the strictness of truth, opened a large door for TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 39 deception, wliicli the most vigilant exercise of caution could scarcely detect and counteract. Many painful instances testify the facility and extent to wliicli sucli deception has been carried on. But besides these, a still greater evil was essentially connected with the system of what was called the ^''mechanical teaching ^^ of the Irish Society. The habitual estrangement between Romanists and Protestants in Ireland left the Irish clergy generally unacquainted with Romish habits of thought. Experience has shown that the dogma of Rome that the Church interprets Scripture rightly, and that none have a right to question on any point, eflPectually shuts up the mind against scrip- tural thoughts while reading the Bible. As an additional security, Rome has so arranged her teaching, that certain essential and important words suggest ideas to the Romish mind en- tirely different from the correct and literal meaning. In consequence of this, Romanists may read the Bible without gathering the meaning which the words are intended to con- vey ; and it is only by the direct act of God^s mercy, contrary to the ordinary course of things, that a Roman Catholic has power to receive saving truth from the words which. 40 THE STOEY OF THE IFJSH CHURCH MISSIONS wlien rightly understood,, '^^are able to save tlie soul/^ Yet by that Divine mercy a considerable effect was produced in the first years of the new effort. Four years afterwards (in 1822) a similar society was formed in London^ under the name of the London Irish Society. These two societies worked harmoniously^ and many Eomanists were engaged as '' Irish Teachers ^^ in several parts of Ireland. They reported the instruction of a number of pupils^ and several were by God^s grace induced to neg- lect the Mass, and brought much persecution upon themselves. The result of this was a demand for further instruction wherever there had been any real effect produced. The Irish Society system was as the thin edge of the wedge, and where it made its way it needed to be driven home. It was as the alphabet to the child, its use being to prepare for further knowledge. Progress would be the surest token of success. In some places there were evident marks of such success; but the good men did not seem duly to appreciate this evi- dence ; they liked their system well, and de- termined to ^^let well alone.^'' Applications for further means of instruction were not attended to^ but discouraged. TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 41 Weak instruments are always most fitting- to manifest God's strength. A Cliristian lady_, with the spring of an Irish hearty determined to do something, though it were but little, to meet the demand for more instruction. The fathers of the Irish Society were so attached to their child as it was that they did not wish any alteration. They did not encourage this lady, and if she had not been closely allied to the most eminent of those good men, even her persistency might have been overcome. She was, however, allowed (but privately, and without printing her appeals) to ask for sub- scriptions to support a few Scripture-Readers, who were to be placed entirely under the con- trol of the directors of the Society, though these private funds were to be quite separate from those of the Society. By this means three or four vScripture-Readers were engaged by this energetic lady, who gathered a few like-minded ladies to help on her work, and they formed what was called the "Ladies^ Auxiliary to the Irish Society .^^ The number of Readers gradually increased to ten or twelve, who were paid £15, £18, and £20 a year, collected by unceasing private letters written by this one indefatigable woman, who still lives, and still, at an advanced age, occu- 42 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS pies lier every liour in asking for supplies to support lier little band of pioneers. It was a good many years before her work was publicly recognized^ and still longer before any kelp was accorded to it from any Society^s funds. Tke concession of suck kelp became a turning- point in tke progress of missionary work in Ireland^ tke account of wkick will occur in a future stage of tkis Story. Tke partial efforts of tliese few agents produced more opposition and persecution tkan kad been experienced before. Thrilling incidents occurred in consequence^ and tkese formed a favourite topic witk tke public advo- cates of tke Irisk Society. Tkese Readers were a step in advance in tke rigkt direction ; but tke progress was dis- couraged_, and it needed suck buoyant and Quixotic spirits as tkose of Alicia and Fanny to keep tkeir course under suck circumstances. Tke general result produced no movement amongst tke Romanists. Few were brougkt out of Rome, and very many continued tke reading of tke Irisk Scriptures, and were passed as pupils again and again, wko were as constant to tke Mass as ever, and never tkougkt of any ckange of faitk. It was not witkout great effort in urging a TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 43 further step in advance tliat I gave up tlie at- tempt. The difficulties through which '^ the Ladies^ Auxiliary'^ Hngered on its feeble life were warning enough ; and though I earnestly pressed some of the influential men of the Irish Society in Dublin, their reception of my arguments made me relinquish in despair all hope of enlarging then' machinery into mis- sionary operations. I reluctantly ceased to communicate on the subject with my clerical friends in Ireland, and confined my inquiries to my correspondence with Miss Bellingham. At this time my health failed, and I was doomed by medical direction to ten months of inaction and travel for rest and change. The thought of the ripeness of Irish Eomanists for Christian instruction never changed, and would not rest during this jDeriod. The ab- sence of ordinary duties left the whole field of my mind open for the wandering thoughts which this one idea suggested. Plan after plan presented itself before me. Difficulty after difficulty arose, was combated, and gained the victory. At length some of these phantoms that used to ^' come lii^e shadows^ and so de- part,"*^ left more permanent impressions on my mind, and were shaped into something that seemed feasible to a sanguine temperament. 4-4 THE STORY OP THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS The corLviction tliat tlie object was for tlie glory of God and the saving of souls^ together with the constant exercise of earnest prayer, rectified the excesses of this temperament^, and made that appear possible which might seem scarcely so to the more phlegmatic. One plan at last took a shape. I can say now that it was of God, because immense difficulties have been overcome, wonderful results followed, and the evidence of Providential interference has been marked and certain. The develop- ment of this plan shall be given in the next chapter. TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 45 CHAPTER YI. It seems to be a rule in the ordinary dealings of God witli his people^ that when his Spirit directs the mind to any work for his glory, his Providence will sooner or later concur in ef- fecting the object. If a matter is laid upon the heart_, the sure test that it is of God will be that openings will occur to render it possi- ble. The trial of patience may be long ; but the greater the delay, the stronger will be the proof that God's Spirit is placing the matter on the heart. To give up the desire is to prove that it never was of God. To maintain it in patience and diligence is to secure the accomplishment; and God, in his own good time, proves its origin by granting providen- tial openings to ripen it to success. Though in a long life I have had many evidences of this general rule, I never knew any like the instance of that feeling which. 46 THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHUECH MISSIONS after long delay and great discouragement^ lias borne the fruit of the Irish Church Missions. The conferences with Fanny Bellingham in April_, 1845, were occupied in transforming the abundant materials for discouragement into the occasion for discovering some means which might overleap them all, and work the spiritual enlightenment of the Eoman Catholics of Ireland. Our schemes were very interest- ing ; but every one had some impassable bar- rier, which rose between our intentions and the approach to the objects of our solicitude. I came to England without having imagined anything practiced or possible ; and Fanny and her friend left Dublin for a tour in the south and west of Ireland. I happened to take up a paper which con- tained a statistical account of the wonders which had been achieved by the penny post — then not very long in operation — the facilities it afforded, the effects it might yet produce, etc., etc. It struck me that this might supply the means of reaching Roman Catholics over the heads, as it were, of the priests. It was a crude thought, but it was the seed of many mature ones. The great object which called for present action was to find some way of stirring the minds of a large number of Roman TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 47 Catholics^ in sucli a manner as would test the trutli of my conviction tliat there was a greater readiness to listen to Protestant teaching than formerly ; and do this so manifestly as would lead the good men in Ireland to believe what I stated^ and to come forth to take advantage of the favourable opportunity. The impedi- ment to the attaining this object was the jealous watchfulness of the priests to hinder every kind of communication between their people and those who would bring them the light. Then^ also, the difficulty of obtaining any machinery which could exercise an influ- ence sufficiently extensive to produce the de- sired result was overwhelming. But the penny-post took letters without asking the leave of the priest; and it was world-wide in its application. If only the names and addresses of every Eomanist in all Ireland could be obtained, a ray of light from God^s Word — an appeal to common sense and conscience might be made, which must create a movement amongst them. How to carry such a plan into execution ? Immense difficulties were in the way; but I have often found it good to act upon the wise saying of the poet — "The wise and active conquer difficulties by daring to attempt them.-'^ So I pondered on 48 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS tliis tliouglit, and drew it out in various ways, and by degrees it took a shape tliat seemed less impossible^ nay, feasible. Fanny bad pointed out the failing features in many of my plans, wbicb bad been rejected. I wrote to ber about tbis one; and before sending my letter, I prayed earnestly tbat we migbt be guided in coming to a decision in tlie matter. Her answer approved tbe plan warmly, and made valuable suggestions; so I settled myself into a determination to take all possible steps to develop tbis tbougbt into action. I was one evening musing or dozing in tny arm-cbair, in a dreamy way. A young friend was in tbe room, to wbom I said, " Take up your pen, and write as I dictate." There flowed forth from me, literally without check or correction, that appeal to Irishmen which is entitled, ^^ A Voice from Heaven to Ireland." As I read it afterwards, I was struck with the Irish composition, and I earnestly prayed God to own it as his own, by making it instru- mental in saving Irish souls. It is too long to give here, but it shall be given in an appendix. I was greatly encouraged by the fact that I had something to send to the Roman Catho- TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 49 lies. It seemed to me a token that otlier difficulties would be overcome. But as I began to look at these difficulties closely and separately, they seemed scarcely surmountable. How to get the names of the people ! How to get tlie means of sending a sufficient num- ber of these letters by the post ! How to get the whole organized and arranged without such publicity as would defeat the effect of the appeal ! All these were very serious im- pediments to anything like a confident expec- tation of success. While such thoughts as these were revolv- ing in my mind, I one day received a letter from a gentleman, with whom I had been acquainted some time before, but I had not had any recent intercourse with him. It was but a little while since I had recovered from an illness ; and a small tract which I had sub- sequently published had fallen into his hands. His letter spoke of my illness, and of his con- clusion from the tract that I was restored to health ; and he reminded me that, some time before, I had said to him that I would wil- lingly co-operate with him in doing something for Ireland. Would I act upon that promise now? The promise that he spoke of had faded 4 50 THE STOEY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS from my memory^ but I felt tliat it was God^s providence which had recalled it to his at that peculiar juncture. The letter came to me upon the very day on which I had mapped out a plan^ which, of course^ I had made complete in all its parts. The arranging into order of a multitude of desultory thoughts, it formed a very beautiful building to my imagination; but in my walk after breakfast I felt with a sigh that it was but a castle in the air, as it wanted the solid foundation of means to carry it into practice. The letters came ; there were a good many; amongst them a small one in a hand which I did not recollect. I left it till the last, little knowing that it was to prove the means of obtaining the solid foundation which would turn my castle in the air into an accomplished fact. In the course of my cogitations, I had ven- tured to put forth something of my penny -post plan to several Christian friends. I found that, without a single exception, they all looked upon the whole matter as an absurdity. If cold water by pailfuls could have chilled my hopeful expectations, they would have been frozen to death over and over again : but they were sufficiently alive when I received this letter to send me forth to visit my friend in TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 51 London, and to lay my imaginations before him. He did not seize upon tlie thought at once_, but he did not reject it. He took time to make all I had said the subject of prayer and of consideration; and, in the course of several conversations, he gradually adopted my views, and agreed to undertake tho expenses of certain arrangements. These opened the way for others more costly still, and God opened his heart to supply what was needed for expense, with a beautiful mixture of large liberality and careful wisdom. It has pleased God to remove from this present hfe the friend of whom I speak, and it is a gratification to me to give my testimony to the disinterested earnestness with which he devoted his substance, his time, and his prayers to the great object of communicating Christ^s gospel to the Irish Romanists. Mr. Durant, of High Canons, was a man of singular devotion to the cause he took in hand. God had prospered his store, and given him affluence ; and for many years before his death. He gave him the more precious possession of divine grace. He had peculiarities, but they were all characterized by gracious feelings. In whatever else he may have been peculiar, I can testify from much knowledge of his private 52 THE STORY OF THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS life_, tliat lie was peculiarly prayerful_, peculiarly generous, and peculiarly attached to tlie pro- motion of tlie cause of Christ in Ireland. Ho had a strong feeling that it was wise for indi- viduals to take separate divisions of the Lord^s work ; and although he never was in Ireland in his life_, and knew very little about it^ he often said that God had laid Ireland upon his heart. He had received the first effectual impulse to seek the salvation of Christ while listening to a charity sermon for an Irish object, from the late Eev. Henry Elliot, of Brighton, under whose ministry he afterwards rapidly grew in grace. This very small link with Irish inte- rests, seems to have been the only means of turning his thoughts towards Ireland, by which he was made so importantly useful. " The hairs of your head are all numbered." Surely this was a very slender hair. Having made such great progress in approaching, at least, towards the accomplish- ment of what had seemed impossible, I advanced cheerily on the next step. I went over to Dublin, and consulted with Miss Bell- ingham as to the further efforts to be made. The next point was to find some means of obtaining the names and addresses of a vast number of Roman Catholics and of Roman TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 53 Catholics only. This necessary limitation ren- dered all lists and directories useless^ as not classifying the two religions. At last the thought occurred of engaging proper agents to travel through various parts of Ireland with some ostensible object in view, and with in- structions to take down the names and addresses of Roman Catholics only, and enter them in a book, witliout giving these agents any intimation of the object in view. The Government had issued, in the beginning of 1845, a paper of inquiry concerning the state of the crops, and the nature of farming in Ire- land. They wished this paper to be largely circulated. It was settled that a great num- ber of these papers should be procured, and that the agents to be engaged should have the charge of distributing them in the districts to which they were sent. Then came the difficulty of finding suitable agents, and this difficulty rose up only to be overcome. A good man, who had been along time engaged as an agent of the old Dublin City Mission, was well known to Miss Belling- ham. He was the first engaged. Through him three others were found. There had been a remarkable case of the conversion of a man who had been a student at Mavnooth. He 54 THE STORY OF THE IKISH CHURCH MISSIONS had been engaged as sclioolmaster in a scrip- tural scliool in Dublin^ at a very low salary ; lie was employed as another ; and a sixth was added by an incidental circumstance. Thus I had six men — Protestants,, and most of them converts^ whom I engaged to journey mostly on foot, or from town to town on public cars^ and to distribute the Government paper, mak- ing some inquiries in connection v/ith it. But besides this, each agent was supplied with blank paper books, in which he was to write the name and address of as many Eomanists of the respectable and middle class as he could. Each had also a number of postage stamps and envelopes ; and when a certain number of pages were filled with names, he was to tear them out, put them in an envelope, and address it to me. Then, too, I found the benefit of the expe- rience of my past employment in foreign mili- tary service. I furnished each agent with a distinct route, en militairej directing the lines of march through every one of the thirty -two counties of Ireland — the stages of their pro- gress to be tested by the post-marks of their envelopes. By the end of August, 1845, the arrangement was complete, and the men were started on their commission. TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 00 Take difficulties in detail_, and the impedi- ments are greatly lessened; yet wlien you come face to face with, each in order, it seems to be great. I calculated upon receiving thou- sands of addresses. How were they all to "be written and arranged without a degree of publicity which would prevent the possibility of that secrecy which was essential to success ? Knowiug the Irish character_, I counted much upon the magic of mystery, yet this would be impossible if many instruments -were employed in producing the letters. Here again I see the finger of Providence — a hair that was num- bered for the purpose had cast my lot in a small retired parish, and had drawn around me attached members of the congregation, who had been born of the Spirit under my ministry. Amongst these were some Christian young women whom I felt that I could trust. To these I explained enough to excite in them a lively interest, and I engaged them to write the addresses on stamped envelopes. As enclosures came from Ireland, I handed them over to those ladies, who, living a very retired life, had no difficulty in keeping their special occupation to themselves ; and whose Christian wisdom so managed, that even the members of their own families were not acquainted with 56 THE STOEY OF THE IRISH CHUECH MISSIONS the object in view. Every day's post brought its supply of work for these ladies, and every week returned the tale of that work to the general depository. For many years I had possessed a private printing press, which had been used origi- nally for my own people only. It had grown to be more extensive, and had been handed over to a Christian young man, brought up under my own ministry. Clever and trust- worthy_, I could place entire reliance upon him. He had associated with him a printer whom he had himself instructed, and who, above that, had received the instruction of the Holy Spirit. These two carried on the whole of the process of printing the papers which were to be conveyed in the covers addressed by my indefatigable female helpers. In all, the number of persons in England who were in any way acquainted with the scheme amounted to seven, and every one of these v/ere trustworthy spiritual Christians. In the progress of this interesting work, the circumstances connected with the exhibi- tion of the Holy Coat at Treves occurred, and the movement of Ronge and Czerski conse- quent upon it. This suggested the writing of another paper^ which was entitled ^' A Look TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. 57 out of Ireland into Germany/' As time passed on in tlie wQfk of preparation new thouglits arose. I determined to get the '^ Voice from Heaven '^ translated into tlie Irish. Fanny Bellingham got this done for me in Dublin^ and I had it printed in London. Then she suggested that the message to the Ilomanists would not be complete nor fit for a blessing unless ifc contained some portions of the Word of God. So a number of special and pointed texts were selected, and printed on a separate paper. Thus the contents of each envelope were, 1. ^'' A Voice from Heaven to Ireland/^ 2. The same in Irish ; 3. '^^ A Look out of Ireland into Germany -/' and 4. A. Paper of Selected Texts. These took the full of the money^s worth for every penny envelope, though any overweight was carefully avoided. By the end of the year 1845, about twenty thousand of these precious packets were made up, and addressed to so many Eoman Catholics in every part of Ireland. An arrangement was then very carefully made for their simul- taneous reception. The periods of postal delivery in the different districts of Ireland were ascertained. Bristol, Manchester, Bir- mingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and London were selected as the points of departure, and 58 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS means were taken for having tlie letters posted in these places at sucli times as would secure tlie delivery of all the letters at all the places on the same day. Some of the distant districts required three days,, some two, and others would be delivered on the day after being- posted. The detail of all this was minutely arranged, and the numbers sent from the several places were so divided, that the excess need not retard any from one post-office. "When the whole was finall}^ settled, the letters were packed in small divisions, each directed for its proper place. They were to go forth by the luggage-train from the neigh- bouring railway- station. A cart was brought to the door of the cottage in which the print- ing press was carried on. There is a little room in that cottage which had been the depository of the work as it grew to comple- tion. It was now so filled with the closed parcels, that the whole floor was covered two layers thick with them. The whole of the seven persons who alone were in the secret assembled in that little room while the cart was waiting at the door. We all knelt down upon the very parcels which left us no other foot-room, and I solemnly delivered them to the Lord^ entreating Him so to guide the way of TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 59 eacli of those tliousands of letters^ tliat Ms own glory might be magnified in the salva- tion of the souls of unhappy Romanists, and that many might be brought " from darkness to light_, and from the power of Satan to God." I feel sure that this prayer was echoed from the hearts of all the seven ; the answer that has been vouchsafed let the records of the Irish Church Missions proclaim. Wafted by this prayer, the parcels were put into the cart, and conveyed to their several starting points. The day on which the letters were delivered at the doors of those to whom they were addressed was the 16th of January, 1846. The record of the events of that day I will reserve for another chapter. 60 THE STORY OP THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS CHAPTER VII. It was on the IGtli of January, 1846, that the shower of letters fell like flakes of snow from heaven at the door of about twenty thousand Roman Catholics in every part of Ireland. Before proceeding to fulfil my promise of recording some of the events of that day, I must call special attention to that date. It is important to mark it, because a general feeling exists that the movement carried on through the Irish Church Missions took its rise from the effects of the famine. If this were the case, its origin could not but impart a certain character to its progress, and whatsoever fruits might result from time to time, permanent impulse could hardly be calculated upon. But this is not the case ; a change was creeping over the spirit of the Romish peasants in Ire- land, the dawn of which had been discernible for some years before the famine began. The TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. 61 harvests of 1S43 and 1844 were splendid,, so as to excite boastful expectations of liigli prosperity ; and even in 1 845^ there were only such apprehensions as induced the Government to circulate the papers of instruction already referred to. The tokens of this change had been observed, and its progress watched during the previous years, and the efforts thus produced had time for organization and ar- rangement, and were matured for action by the close of 1845. The movement amongst the Romanists is of God. He had planted it, and it had taken root in the minds of the people long before. Then it was nurtured in blood; the awful famine of 1847, with its at- tendant horrors in 1848, worked wonderfully for its development. Thus it might almost be said that the movement gave a character to the famine, rather than that the famine cha- racterized the movement ; and while the mis- taken impression would suggest the idea that the movement may be temporary, the true view of the case stamps it with the character of permanency. This makes it important to remember that the letters were delivered on the 16th January, 1846. There was a natural anxiety to know the effect that would be produced, and circum- 62 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS stances were favourable for obtaining tbe in- formation. Tbe two ladies who bad helped on the work were well acquainted with all the various agencies which were employed in every part of Ireland for spiritual service amongst the people. They had part in the several combinations that had been formed with similar objects,, and were in communica- tion with many Christian persons who were employing Scripture-E-eaders on their own ac- count. I have a very interesting manuscript book which Miss Bellingham compiled for me at the very outset of our operations^ in which is noted every spot in all Ireland where any efforts were then making to carry the Hght to the Romanists, with the names of all the parties engaged. She was felt to be a sym- pathizing heart, a centre to which they all instinctively turned in all the varied circum- stances of their isolated work. We anticipated that many of them would spontaneously send accounts of what might happen without our giving any clue to the origin of the letters by making inquiries. Our anticipation was real- ized, but we scarcely expected the inundation of letters which poured in from almost every corner of the country. It appeared that the people were everywhere greatly stirred. They TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. DO were taken by surprise^ and were struck with tlie mysterious peculiarity of the event. That so many Eomanists sliould receive tlie letter on the same day_, and tliat no Protestant neighbour should get one, seemed to indicate that it must have been sent by some one who was well acquainted with each particular lo- cality. The letters weie accordingly read with peculiar attention. The portion in Irish puzzled many who could not read that lan- guage, and this led persons who had before shunned the Irish Scripture-Readers to go to them to get the paper read ; and thus a friendly communication was opened with many Ro- manists who were afterwards led to read the Scriptures. The effect was of course various with va- rious people, and in different places, but in general the result was an anxiety to possess the papers, a serious impression that there was much that was true in them, and a desire to inquire further, and to know more. The conduct of the priests varied in different lo- caUties. The communications from the north say that the priests were in general quiet, and endeavoured to obtain the papers from the people by fair means, though with expressions of disapprobation. The persons who wrote 64 THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS from the south and west, and from some parts of Louth and Cavan, gave account of great violence on the part of the priests, and strong efforts to prevent any one from keeping or reading the papers ; yet multitudes of instances were given in which the people either resisted or evaded the priests^ command, and retained their letters. It is quite impossible to convey to the mind of the reader anything like an adequate idea of the general excitement that was pro- duced, and which was continued for a time, as the extent of the letters became known through the communications between friends in distant parts of the country. The people in Cork and Kerry found that those in Donegal and Derry had the same letters on the same day. Dublin and Galway, Louth and Limerick, distant and divided districts, all alike favoured in the same manner, at the same time, and with the same disthiction of creed. This kept the excitement alive, and left a wondering ex- pectation on the minds of the people looking for what was to come of so strange a matter. Though no clear impression can be given by a few specimens of the communications re- ceived, yet it may be well to show the nature of these accounts by inserting two or three of TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS. b-J the letters written by persons who gave the information without suspecting that they were communicating with the author of the letters. It is difficult to select from the large number that were forwarded to me_, but almost at hazard I take the following : — From the County of Donegal. Feb. 14, 1846. — I have been very uneasy that I could not have written to you sooner, and in particular to let you know- about a vast number of anonymous letters which ai-e in cir- culation among the Romanists of tliis part of the country, and have even met with some of them in Gr. also. I have to let you know that the minds of many of them in this part are much agitated by these letters ; but I am happy to re- mark that they have laid the foundation of many useful conversations I hope, in my travels among the people ; and I have reason to hope and believe they will be the means of raising a sj^irit of inquiry among many of them, which may be blessed to tlie breaking off those tyrannical chains by which they are so strongly bound by these cunning and crafty Italian policemen, who are daily lying in wait to de- ceive ; and it may yet come to pass that these letters may be acknowledged by some of them to be what they are repre- sented to be — that is, " a voice from heaven." Dear lady, I think it necessary to let you know that these letters came to the country in the beginning of the vreek, which gave tlie people an opportunity of having a week's pei'usal of them, before the priests had time to have them published in tl^ie chapels, as the priests did not neglect doing so on the fol- lowing Sunday. This they have done ([ am informed) witli the wisdom of the serpent, by making as light of these h t- ters as possible, telling the people to light their pipes witli GO THE STORY OP THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS them, which. I am certain many of them may do ; but I am convinced thia will not be general ; and I have reason to think they have kindled a fire in the hearts of some, which will never be quenched by the powers of darkness. From the Counti/ of Cork. Jan. 30, 1846. — There are some most excellent tracts sent through the post to several quarters of Ireland. They are causing great noise. The priests are furious about the matter, and the Popish press also ; but the people read them : and I have ever^ reason to liope they will do incalculable good. The priests order whoever receive them to bring them to themselves without reading ; but I have heard some of them say they "would not give them to priest or minis- ter ;" they are very happily written. From the County of Kerry, Feh. 25, 1846. — I had three letters from different parts of the country, asking me if I could get any of these Fnglish letters, to send them by post, for that they had seen some with 3^ pedlar who sold them at threepence each. Yery many got them that do not own to them, so as not to have the priest come to hear it. While these commumcations afforded abun- dant proof that a powerful impulse to inquirj- had been given^ it was important to ascertain the state of feeling by personal observation, and I undertook more than one journey to Ireland with this view. Everything that I saw and heard in these visits^ tended to con- firm the impression produced by the informa- tion I had received. It was in the course of TO THE EOMAN CATHOLICS . 67 tliese visits fhat I first went to Castelkerke, where tlie Providence of God opened the way for the first direct Missionary efforts. I found there an open door for making the experiment which would test the principle I had so strongly pressed upon iny clerical brethren^ and which they had so strongly opposed ; and I entered into it the more readily because I felt the necessity for having some ostensible reason to assign to my friends in England for my otherwise unexplained absences from home. The story of the Castelkerke Mission must have a chapter to itself; and attention to the chro- nological order of its events must not interrupt the narrative of those eflbrts of which I have yet only related the first. It was important that the interest excited by the letters of the 1 6th January should be kept alive. There were many names on the original lists which had not been taken into the first flight of letters. It was determined that a second issue of letters should be sent_, in which these should be included with as many of the former as possible. The experi- ence I had gained in my recent inquiries gave me the clue to the subject of which to treat, and a tract came forth_, entitled ^'' Irishmen's Rights." It showed that every Irishman had a C8 THE STORY OP THE lEISH CHURCH MISSIONS right to read the Scriptures; and it explained that the rule of the Church of Eome does not positively deny this rights but requires that nobody should read them without the permis- sion of a priest, and it advised the people to go to the priests and ask for such permission. This suggested another step in the work ; a letter was drawn up to the priests ; the Catholic directory supplied the names and addresses of all the priests in Ireland, and this letter, accompanied by chosen extracts from the Douay version of the New Testament, was sent by post to every one of them, Regular and Secular. This letter was as follows : — Eeveeend Sir, — You are respectfully requested to give serious consideration to the following argument, concerning winch your practical opinion may shortly be called for. You are no doubt aware, that it is by a mistake that the Protestants assert that the reading of the Bible is absolutely prohibited by the Roman Catholic doctrines. You are also aware, that the true state of the case is, that the laity are forbidden to read any version of the Holy Scriptures, without ecclesiastical authority first had and ob- tained in the form of a written permission from the priest. The priest is thus constituted the judge of the propriety of granting such permission in each particular case, and of conceding to any individual of his flock such licence to read the Holy Scriptm^es in whole or in part, as to him may seem right. While, therefore, the reading of the Scriptures by the laity is restrained and limited, not only is no restraint or limit imposed upon the priest, as regards his own reading of TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS. C9 tlie Bible, but it is distinctly required of each priest that he should mate himself acquainted with the Holy Scriptures ; in order to be able to form a judgment, whether they may be safely read, in whole or in part, by any individual of hia flock who may apply to him for such a permission as he is authorized to grant. It being thus plainly the duty of every priest of the Eo- man Catholic Church to read the Holy Scriptures himself, you are respectfully asked — Have you read the Holy Scrip- tures ? If not tlie whole, have you at least read the K'ew Testa- ment? Have you read it in the original G-reek ? or, should this be difficult to you, have you read the Latin Vulgate? Have you made yourself acquainted with the versions in English and in Irish, which are those likely to be found 'w\